Refrigerator container for container cars



Nov. 13, 1934. l G. WQQDRUFF 1,980,733

REFRIGERATGR CONTAINER FOR ONI'AINER CARS Original Filed Sept. 15, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 muy Nov. 1 3, 1934. e. c. wooDRuFF l,980,738

REFRIGBRATOR CONTAINER FOR CONTAINER CARS Original Filed Sept. 15. 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 gmc/WM Numa, 1934.

G.' C. WQODRUFF REFRIGEMTOR CONTAINER Fon CONTAINER cARs Original Filed Sept. 15, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 N0 13, 1934- G. c. wooDRuFF 1,980,738Y

EFRIGERTOR GONTAINER- FOR CONTAINER CARS original Fi1ed sept. 15. 19:51 4 sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BEFRIGEBATOR CONTAINER FOB CONTAINER CARS Delaware originan application september 15, 1931-, serum 562,982. Divided and this application July 7, 1932, Serial No. 621,266

'z claims.

This invention relates to containers for con'4 tainer ca rs of that type designed for the shipment in containers of less than car lots, and particularly to containers designedv to be used in conjunction with drop side container compartment cars in which the containers are adapted to be shifted into and out of the car compartments on lift-type loading and unloading trucks or by suitable hoisting mechanism.

One object of the invention is to provide a container for container cars which is especially constructed to hold a suitable refrigerating medium, such as dry ice, whereby the interior of the container may be kept at a predetermined low temperature for the preservation during shipment of perishable goods. r

A further object of the invention is to provide a container of this character which provides for a reliable and emcient circulation of 'the air through the container and its refrigerating compartment, whereby all portions of the container will be kept at the predetermined low temperature desired.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a container of the character described in which the walls of the container are most eiliciently insulated against temperature changes within the container, and whereby the container may be exposed in transit to intense atmospheric heat without materially inuencing its internal temperature.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a container made of a composite structure of wood and metal in such a manner as to furnish a container of great strength and resistance to injury, but at the same time of comparatively light weight. i

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists ofthe features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a refrigerator container for container cars constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a topplan view of the same with the roof omitted.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse 'section through the container.

Figure 4 is a vertical front-to-rear or longitudinal section thereof.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section through one of the side walls and lportions of the front and rear end walls of the container taken on a plane. such as indicatedby line 5-5 of Figure 4.

'aroof9.

- 1o and 11. woodmay overlie thebeams or iolsts"I 18 and cork- Figure 6 is a similar view through the frontv wall and door ofthe container.

Figure 'l is a vertical section through a portion of the base and front and door of the container.

Figure 8 is a view on an enlarged scale showing 0 the means for insulating or sealing the spaces between the surfaces of the door and doorway of the container.

In the practical embodiment of my invention I provide a container l of oblong oro oblong rectangular form; that shown in the present instance being of oblong rectangular fonn and provided at its corners with supporting feet 2 and `at its top with lifting links 3. In its structural organization the container comprises a bottom 4, side walls 5, 7

front and rear end walls 6 and '7, a ceiling 8 and The container is preferably one of a composite type of wood, metal and insulating material, the parts being so combined, arranged and connected and reinforced as to provide a container of great strength but of comparatively light weight. The bottom and walls of the container are accordingly constructed of elements of sheet metal and wood lcombined and reinforced in a novel manner and associated with insulating material to maintain the interior of the'container at a predetermined low temperature.

'I'he bottom wall 4 consists of a lower sheet metal floor sheet 10 and an upper sheet metal oor sheet 11, the upper floor sheet 11 being flanged, as at 12, or of rectangular pan-shaped formation so as to provide a strong and durable type of floor surface lapping the lower portions of the container walls, as hereinafter described. Between these floor sheets are arranged wooden side sills 13, wooden front sills 14, wooden rear sills 15 and transverse floor beams or joists 16, between which sills and beams or joists are placedslabs or sections 17 of a lower layer of corkboard or equivalent insulating material. 'Ihe sills 13, 14 and 15 are bolted or otherwise suitably selayers extending at right angles to each other in joint-lapping relation, thus providing a highly eiiicient insulating 1111er between the floo'r sheets' A flooring 20 of tongue and g'rooved fao board slabs 19, which flooring will be covered and protected by the upper floor sheet 11.

The walls 5, 6 and 7 respectively include outer metallic sheets 21, 22 and 23 forming an outer body sheathing, and which sheets are connected and reinforced at their corners by angle metal corner pieces 24 with which 4are associated pairs of angle metal stays 25 and 26 arranged adjacent each corner piece and forming therewith a hollow metallic corner post. At each corner of the container body are disposed an outer wooden corner post 27 andan inner wooden corner post 28, each post 27 being disposed between the outer flanges of the stays 25 and 26, while the' associated post 28 is fitted between the inner flanges of the stays 25 and 26. This arrangement of hollow metallic posts and outer and inner wooden posts enables the container body to be made of maximum strength at the corner portions, but of very light weight for its size and strength, and the wooden post elements provide a means whereby certain parts may be bolted or riveted or otherwise firmly united and other parts nailed in place so as to adapt the component elements to be assembled and united in a firm, durable and convenient man ner. The parts of the bottom 4 are securely tied and united by Z-shaped longitudinally extending metallic stringers 29 and transversely extending wooden stringers 30 fastened together in an appropriate manner and furnishinga subframe beneath the bottom sheet 10 whereby the container may be supported upon a lift-type loading and unloading truck without liability of damage to its bottom. As shown, intermediate posts 31 and 32 are provided at the front and rear of the container, and the sills 13 and 15 are notched to receive the posts 31 and joists 16 which are suitably secured thereto and the sills 13, 14 and 15 are bolted or riveted to the sheet 10 and legs 2.

The walls 5, 6 and 7 consist each of an outer metal sheet 21, 22 or 23, as before described, a lining 33 of tongued-and-grooved boards, vertically disposed bottom layers 34 of corkboard. and a main insulating filling 35 of mattress type, the insulating mattresses 35 being fastened to and supported in position by furring strips 36 and 37 secured to the outer metal sheets and to the linings 33, respectively, and tothe frontand rear corner posts, if desired. Roof carrying beams 38 are supported upon the front and rear corner posts and fastened to the side wall sheets and wooden linings and these beams close the spaces at the upperportions of the side walls between the outer sheets and linings. Metal Z-beams 39 are fastened to the beams 38 and include vertical flanges 40 forming risers offset inwardly from the plane of the outer sheets of the walls 5, 6 and 7 and lying substantially in the plane of the linings of said walls, and these beams 39 support the roof 9. This roof 9 is of inverted V-shape, its sides 41' and 42 sloping from a central point toward the container sides 5 to form a quick-draining form of water-shed.l The roof 9 is elevated suil'iciently from the ceiling to provide an insulating space 43l therebetween which may be packed with suitableinsulating material. Beams or girders 44 and 45 lie in this space and are fastened to and reinforce the ceiling 8 and risers 40.

The front wall 6 corresponds in construction with the side and rear walls except that it is provided with an inlet or doorway the frame of which is formed of wooden side posts or jambs 46 lying adjacentto the front intermediate posts 31. a wooden lintel beam 47 and an threshold sill and bottom and one side of the doorway. A'

door 52 is provided to close the doorway and comprises an outer metal sheet 53, an inner wooden lining 54 reinforced by stiiening battens 55, a wooden frame formed of pairs of out er and inner stiles 56 and 57 and top and bottom rails 58 and 59 fastened to each other and to the metal sheet and lining, and a blanket insulation 60 disposed between the metal sheet and lining and secured to reinforced furring' strips 61. 'I'he door is hinged, as at 62, to one of the jambs 46 and may be fastened in any suitable way at its free edge when in closed position to the other jamb, if desired.

Suitable means may be provided for sealing the joints between the marginal edges of the door frame and the door. As shown, a springpressed packing element 63 is provided upon one ofthe opposed surfaces of the door frame and door at the bottom, sides and top of the door to securely close any crevices between the door frame and door when the door is closed. An additional sealing means is also preferably provided comprising a sponge rubber gasket 64 cemented in a groove formed by Z-plates 65 on the door jambs, lintel and threshold sill, and is engaged by a flange .on a metallic packing strip 66 on the door, whereby a continuous marginal seal about the door is effected.

Secured to and suspended from the ceiling v8 `is an ice bunker or chamber 67, preferably comprising an aluminum casting of a rectangular shape corresponding to that of the container but of less length than width so that its side and end walls are spaced from the side and front and rear walls of the container. The bunker or chamber is of sufficient depth to hold a proper quantity of a refrigerant, such as dry ice, designed to keep the interior of the container at a proper low temperature for the preservation of perishable commodities. I'he bunker is provided in its top with a flanged inlet, connected with a flanged inlet opening in a part of the roof 9 by means of a hatch or inlet neck 68 adapted to be closed by a suitable insulated plug or stopper 69 and a hinged hatch lid or cover 70, such hatch forming a convenient means whereby the bunker may be replenished with the refrigerant when required. An air circulating duct 71 extends around the sides and ends of the receptacle and communicates with the bunker by means of outlet and return ducts 72 and '73, respectively, whereby cold air or vapor cooled by the refrigerant may be circulated and caused to descend into the lading receiving space of the container to cool the same, the rising warm air `thus displaced passing upward and being chilled and caused to descend in like manner, so that a continuous cooling and circulation of the cooled air is obtained.

It will be evident that the arrangement illustrated provides circulating ducts through which the vapors or gases from the melting CO2 pass, the air within the container being cooled .by coming in contact with the outside surface of bunker and ducts, the gases or vapors from the CO2 at no time coming in contact with the lading. Specically, the gas given olf by the solid CO2 passes out of the bunker 67 through the outlet ducts 72 at tached to each long side of the bunker. 'Ihis gas' then enters the circulating ducts 71 attached to the side walls and end of the container and circulates through the ducts 71, returning to the bunker through the return ducts 73 located at each end of bunker, thus completing the cycle. A vent pipe 73 may be provided to allow the excess gas to escape to the atmosphere, which pipe preferably extends downward and opens to the atmosphere at the bottom of the container.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and mode of operation of my improved refrigerator containers for container cars will be readily understood, and it will be seen that the invention provides containers of this character which are of maximum strength to withstand the wear and tear of shipping while at the same time of comparatively light weight, due to the very effective composite construction of the container of wood and metal parts. This container is de- L signed to receive perishable commodities to be shipped in less than car lots and to preserve the same against deterioration in transit, the refrigerating means employed being highly reliable and eftlcient for such purposes and the construction of the container being such that maximum insulation is afforded to adapt the container for exposure to high external heat without in any manner affecting its interior temperature.

While the construction disclosed for purposes of exemplication is preferred, it is to be understood, of course, that changes in the form, proportions and details of construction of the various parts and their mode of assemblage may be varied to considerable degrees within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

This application is filed as a division of application, Serial No. 562,982, led September 15, 1931, now matured into Patent No. 1,967,277, granted July 24, 1934.

What I claim is:

1. A container forl container cars having a commodity receiving space, a roof, a ceiling spaced from the roof, a refrigerant container chamber in the upper portion of the body pendent from said ceiling and spaced from the walls of the body, said chamber having an inlet thereto exy tending downward through the ceiling and roof and said space having an inlet thereto in one of the walls of the body, closures for said inlets, a uid circulating duct in said upper portion of the body extending around the walls thereof and about the refrigerant containing chamber in spaced relation thereto, and outlet and return connections between said chamber and said portion of the body. V

2. A container for container cars comprising a container body having a commodity receiving space and an inlet to said space in one of the vertical walls thereof a wall .at the top of said space, a refrigerant containing chamber pendent from n .and supported by said wall, a fluid circulating duct-extending horizontally in the body about container body having front, rear andside walls,

and a ceiling, a refrigerant containing chamber in the body pendent from the ceiling and having similar walls spaced from the walls of the body, a riser extending upward from the body, a roof supported by the riser, an inlet to the chamber extending thereto through the roof and ceiling, a closure for said inlet, a fluid circulating duct lining the container walls and surrounding the chamber in spaced relation thereto in said space, and outlet and inlet connections between the chamber and duct extending across the space between said chamber walls and said body walls.

4. A container for container cars comprising a Icontainer body having front, rear and side walls anda ceiling, said front wall having a doorway therein, a closure for said doorway, a refrigerant containing chamber in the body pendent from the ceiling and having similar walls spaced from the walls of the body, a riser extending upward from the body, a roof supported by the riser, an inlet to the chamber extending thereto through the roof and ceiling, a closure for said inlet, a uid circulating duct in the space lining the container walls and surrounding the chamber in spaced relation thereto, and outlet and inlet connections between the chamber and duct extending across said space.

5. A container for container cars having a commodity storage space, a refrigerant containing chamber in the top of the body above said space,

said chamber and space being provided with in ylets and said chamber being spaced fr jom the walls of the body, closures for said inlets, a uid circulating duct of restricted cross section and of a depth substantially equal to,that of the refrigerant containing chamber lining the walls of the body and extending around the same in spaced relation to the refrigerant containing chamber, and outlet and return connections between said chamber and said ductl extending across the space therebetween.

6. A container for containercars comprising an oblong rectangular container body having a commodity receiving space, and an inlet to said space in one of the vertical walls thereof, a ceiling wall at the top of said space, a refrigerant containing chamber of oblong rectangular form pendent from and supported by said ceiling wall, said chamber having side and/ end wallsspaced from the corresponding walls of the container body, a circulating duct extending horizontally in the body about its walls and in spaced relation to the walls of the chamber, a riser extending upwardly from thebody, a roof supportedl by the riser in spaced relation to the top wall, an inlet to the chamber extending thereto through the roof and top wall, and outlet and return connections between said body and chamber extending across the space between the same, said connections comprising a conductorbetween each end of the chamber and the corresponding portions of the duct, a conducting connection between the center of one side of the chamber and corresponding portion of the duct, and connectionsbetween the ends of the opposite side of the container and the corresponding portion of the duct.

7. A container for container cars comprising an oblong rectangular container body having front, rear and side walls defining a commodity receiving space occupying substantially thel entire internal area of the body, and a ceiling, one of said walls of the body being provided with an inlet to said commodity receiving space, a closure for said inlet, an oblong rectangular refrigerant containing chamber in the body pendent from the 5 roof and ceiling, a closure for said inlet, a. ud

circulating duct lining the container walls and substantially coextensive in depth with'and surrounding the chamber in spaced relation thereto in said space, and outlet and inlet connections between the side and end walls of the chamber and corresponding portions of the duct extending across said space.

. GRAHAM C. WOODRUFF. 

